Regional Hiring Over the Next 6-12 Months

[SpauldingSmails]

There will be slowdowns. Not due to age 65, but rather an economic slowdown. At least that's my take.

 

[N813CA]

COMAIR training is not stopping. They are going to have a class of 4-6 every two weeks instead of heavy hiring of 12 every week. So yes, a big slow down but not a STOP. Second Comair is not loosing the 4,000 hours. All of the connection carriers are. That was right out of the prez mouth.

 

[GEORGE DUBYA]

I'll bet the opposite.

The majors will still be hiring in 08/09 but at a reduced level. Fact is, a portion of pilots that would have been forced to retire at the majors will stay on, at least till 62. Less to 65. I would expect to see a 30 to 50% reduction of hiring at the big boys.

You probably will see the same at the regionals, except that more may stay on till 62 due to lack of pensions and retirement plans at the regional level. Don't forget Medicad and health beni's...

Throw in the higher cost of oil and the fact that a 50 seater is not as cost effective as a 70 or 90 seater, or turbo prop...
A few majors have already said or have plans to do away with some of their RJ feed.

A merger of ANY 2 legacy carriers will also result in a reduction of feed, and a halting of hiring at those carriers!

I'm willing to bet that the regionals see a hugh reduction in overall hiring next year.
What you will see is that some airlines that couldn't get pilots will now have more to choose from since overall there will be less demand and more supply.

Just my opinion. I'd love to see more guys (and gals) get on here where I'm at to get me off reserve sooner. Just know that based on the new hiring numbers for next year, I'll be on reserve for a longer time than expected! Still glad to be gone from the RJ world and not having to commute any more.

Hang in there everyone. This too shall pass~

Always
Motch

Holy Crap! You have been on Reserve for what 3 days? and you are already complaining. Give me a break!There will be no reduction in pilot hiring at regiionals there is a pilot shortage! They are hiring people with 250 hours and little multi. People are getting their multi time doubled on their IOE! There is nobody for upgrade anywhere. Nobody even comes close to the 1500 hours for ATP at most places. Age 65 will not make a difference as much as you think. You should go back to flying Katanas! Suny is hiring!

 

[Goose Egg]

We are still wicked short on FOs, so I don't think that will change much. Our upgrades might slow down because of reduced attrition, but I suppose time will tell. I think we have something like 4 classes per month during '08 - two EMB, two jet....

Personally, I don't see the change to age 65 making that big of a difference. It's only a fraction of pilots that make it that far without losing a medical or just plain getting out. But then again, I don't have any numbers--it's just my guess.

 

[AC560]

There will be slowdowns. Not due to age 65, but rather an economic slowdown. At least that's my take.

This is probably closer to the truth. The million dollar question though is consolidation in 2008.

 

[propjockey]

We are so overstaffed on the jet right now at SkyWest that if this were any other airline, they'd probably be furloughing.

I'm with the guy on the economy. Despite what Tricky Dick II and his puppet, Curious George have been saying for the past several years, this is NOT a healthy economy at all. That is not to say that certain individuals in certain sectors of the economy have done very well, but on the whole, the US economy is in a tailspin. With the collapse of the dollar (the more conspiratorial among us believe to be intentional) and the intrinsically-related meteoric rise in oil prices, the majors are running scared. Delta flying at SkyWest has been cut substantially. I think hiring at SkyWest, at least, is going to grind to a complete halt for several months in the beginning of 2008. And you can forget about a quick upgrade at SkyWest for a while at least. The LAST thing we need now is another jet captain. The Brasilia is another story -- it might as well be another company, and I can't speak intelligently about it other than to say it is short-staffed, partially because nobody wants to upgrade on an airplane they know is breathing its last few before being sent to Africa.

Sorry to say it, but I'm feeling full of doom and gloom on this issue. With the economy stagnating, I think we'll see SkyWest become much more like Eagle and Horizon in terms of growth and upgrade times.

 

[ReverseSensing]

With the economy stagnating, I think we'll see SkyWest become much more like Eagle and Horizon in terms of growth and upgrade times.

Burn him at the stake! He's a witch! Burn, witch, burn!

 

[Goose Egg]

We are so overstaffed on the jet right now at SkyWest that if this were any other airline, they'd probably be furloughing...

Nah. Maybe you guys are overstaffed in the jet in SLC or California. But system wide? ORD and MKE are a completely different story. The way I look at it is that if we are that overstaffed in the jet, there wouldn't be nearly as many transition classes, and there wouldn't be so many EMB vacancies, and I wouldn't have been awarded a line during IOE. I think my seniority has literally dropped 90 numbers in the last two months. Those aren't all Brasilia guys leaving.

Sorry to say it, but I'm feeling full of doom and gloom on this issue. With the economy stagnating, I think we'll see SkyWest become much more like Eagle and Horizon in terms of growth and upgrade times.

Doubt it. It may slow down, which is reasonable. But 5-7 year upgrades? Eagle and Horizon upgrades are slow even with the economy cranking.

Oh yeah, and I know several Bro. captains that are in the pool with WN, so it's not exactly the career killer.

-Goose

 

[Crash Pad]

The regional boom has to stop at some point right? Every regional has been hiring 20-30 a month for months... Can that go on forever?

I have a guess that the guys who have been in this for 20+ years know how this ends.

 

[Rally]

Taco bell will be picking up after the new year....They start at $6.75. Good deal.